Airplane tow target



May 22, 1945. A. E. BRICKMAN AIRPLANE TOW TARGET Filed June 21, 1943 INVENTOR: Z M4N, TTORNEY 4mm E. BRICK Patented May 22, 1945 umrso STATES PATENT OFFICE,

Alan E. Brickman, New Haven, Conn., assignor to The American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 21, 1943, Serial No. 491,711

4 Claims. (Cl. 2'73105.3)

This invention relates to airplane tow targets and'particularly to an improved removable insert member for the leadcable ring thereof.-

In an airplane tow target, it is the usual practice to provide a length of wire tow cable having a relatively heavy tow target release member or mechanism attached to its free end which is lowered from the plane while in flight. The release member consists generally of a longitudinally ex tending body portion, which is usually cylindrical in shape with a cone-shaped ortion arranged on the inner end thereof or that end which is attached to the wire tow cable. There is also provided a relatively short lead cable having a sleeve target attached to one end thereof which is adapted to be towed by the plane, and a ring member pivotally attached to a connection or 'terminal arranged on the opposite 'end "or the lead cable. After the tow cable has been dropped from the plane with the release member floating freely in the atmosphere, the short lead cable isthen dropped from the plane together with the sleeve target attached thereto with the ring member or the lead cable passing along the tow cable. The forward travel of the plane draws the tow cable through the lead cable ring at a terrific rate of speed and as the ring member approaches the body portion of the release member, the ring passes thereover and catches on an outwardly projecting finger-like releasemember carried by the body portion 50 as to prevent the passing of the release mechanism all the way through the ring member. The target is then in position on the end of the tow cable and ready for gunnery practice.

Such an arrangement is unsatisfactory for the reason that oftentimes, the ring member in passing along the tow cable shears the same at a point immediately next to the cone-shaped portion of the body portion of the release member due to the speed at which the tow cable passes through the ring member and the weight of the release mechanism. This condition results in the loss of the release mechanism which is hazardous to persons on the ground and may result in terminating the flight thereby involving considerable expense and loss of time. v

Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention to insure that the ring of the lead cable of a tow target is properly guided to and passes over the inner end of the release mechanism without shearing the tow cable so as to eliminate the foregoing disadvantages.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide an improved removable insert member for the ring of the lead cable of a tow target having a limited opening arranged therethrough through which the tow cable passes so as to guide the ring to position opposite the inner end of the release mechanism with the insert member adaptedto'be forced from the positionin thering upon striking the inner end of the body portion of the release mechanism.

It is another object of this invention to provide an insert member for the ring of the lead cable 01 a tow target which is simple and inexpensive in its construction, and, at the same time, efficient and effective in its use.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent in the course of the following specification and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown, for the purpose of illustration, an embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In the drawing Figure 1' is a side elevational View of the outer end of an airplane tow target cable showing'the improved insert member of my invention incorporated with the ring'of the lead cable of the tow target;

Figure 2 is a side elevationalview similar to Figure 1 showing more in detail the tow target release mechanism and the position the tow target assumes thereon when inuse} f Figure 3 is a front elevational view of-one of the halves of the improved insert member of my invention showing how it is assembled in position into ring of the lead cable of the tow target; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line IVIV of Figure 3. e

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown in Figures 1 and 2 thereof, the lower end of a wire tow cable 2 having'a relatively heavy tow target release mechanism 3 arranged on one end thereof. The release mechanism 3 consists generally of a longitudinally extending- Intermediate the length of the body portion of the ally attache'dto the body member, as at In, and cooperates with the release member 6 to move the same about its pivotal connection 1 so as to move the finger-like member or hook 8 intothe body memberfor a purpose hereinafter to be described.

, There is adapted to be attached to the release mechanism 6, a relatively short target lead cable l2 having. a terminal cnnecti0n'l3 arranged on one end thereof to which a suitable sleeve target (not shown) is attached. On the other end of are held in position therein primarily due to the resiliency of th leg portions thereof.

The tar et lead cable 12, together with the sleeve target, and the lead cable ring l1, together the leadcable I 2, there is arranged preferably a. terminal eye connection I4 having a slotted hole disposed therein. There is arranged throughv the slotted hole l5, preferably ,a swivelmernber,

l6 which is pivotally attached to a targetlead cable or travelerring IT, as at, 18.. It will, be

understoodthat both the tow cable 2 and the target" lead cable l2, as shown in the drawing,

' are disposed substantially in the positionv they assume when-they are dropped from the airplane andare towed through the air thereby.

According to the present invention; as shown inliigures B and 4 of the drawing, there is' providedi a pair. of complementary substantially U;

I shaped'members IQ for insertion into the target leadcable ring l1. Each of the members-l9 is preferably made from resilient sheetm'etal-and the -leg portions thereof are preferably arcuatediboth laterally and longitudinallythereof,

and' there is arranged in each of the legs centrally thereof;v a groove 2|; The bottom side of each of the insert members I9 is substantially flat and there is arranged centrally of the fiat bottom surface, a semi-cylindrical groove 22 which extends substantially perpendicular to the legs 20 and the grooves 2|, therein; There is struck up from the flat bottom surfaceof each of the members l9,

centrally thereof preferably anoutwardly exin the hole 24 of the other member So that the I two-members are maintained in alignment wit each other. By arranging the two members l9 in such-a manner, it will be seen that there is provided through the 'centerthereof," a cylindrical hole due to the cooperation of 'thetwo semicylindrical portions 22 of these members. The

. two complementary members, as an assembly, are

now ready to be positioned within the lead cablev ring I1. They are held together and are forced intothe leadcable ring, and itwill be seen that the inner periphery of the ring will ride over the outer edge portion 25 of the leg portions 2!! which edge portions are smaller in d ameter than theinner diameter of the. ring, thereby compressing'the outer. ends of the leg portions. Af-

ter the assembly has been moved into the lead c'ablelring so'that the groove 2| in each. ofthe members I 9V is positioned directly opposite, the" inner periphery of the ring, it will be seen that the legportions 20 are moved outwardly. due to the resiliency thereof and that the inner periphery of the lead ring I] will then be disposed in the grooves 2| of each of the complementary insert members l9, and that the. insert members These members I!) are placedwith the two complementary members l9 arranged therein, is now ready for use and adapted to be positioned on the release mechanism 3 for nnery practice. It will be understood that the hole arranged. through the insert members l9 formed by the cooperation of the semi-cylindrical portions 22 carried thereby, is slightly larger than the diameter of the tow cable 2. The upper end of; the towcable 2 is then threaded through the hole; formed by the insert members and is dropped from the plane. As the plane moves along, itwill be seen that the lead cable ring l1, together with the insert member assembly arranged therein; passes along the cable due to the 'speed of. the plane until the lead cable ring I! approaches the'conical-shaped portion v4 of the body portion ofthe release mechanism 3. It will be seen .thatthe insertmembers I9 will strike the conical-shaped:portion 4 of the release mechanism with aterriflic force thereby springing the leg portions=20 of both of the insert members I9, so

as to force them from position in the lead ring- I1. 7, When the insert member l9 are forced from positionrinthe lead ring 11, it will be seen that the lead ring is centered over the upper end; of the qconical-shaped portion 4 of the release mechanism, and upon further movement of the lead cablering it will pass-over the conical portion 4' and back over the release mechanism until it strikes the finger-like member or hook 8 extendingoutwardly from the body portion of the release;.mechanism. This target lead cable, withthe sleevetarget carried thereby, is then towed throughthe air bythe plane and-is then in position on theend of the tow cable ready for gunnery-practice.

After the desiredamount of gunnery practice v hasbeenhad with this target, a new target. is dropped. from the plane and the lead cable ring .I'lnthereof passes along the tow cable 2 in the same manner ashas been described. The insert members 19- of the lead cable ring I] of this new target areforced from their position inthe lead ring in thesame manner as the firsttarget ring upon-strikingthe upper end of the conical-shaped portions 4 of the release mechanism 3."As the lead cable ring of-thisnew target passes overthe conical-shaped portion 4 and 'back over the body portioniof the release mechanism, it willbe seen that it; strikesthe trigger 9 which, in turn, moves the release member 6 about its pivotal connection 1. so as tomove ithe finger-like memberor hook 8: into thebody of the releasemechanism. Upon movementof the finger-like member, or hook 8 into the body member, it will be seen that the lead cable of the first targetpassesoven the outer end'oftherelease mechanism and falls'to the ground. Other new targets are positionedon the loweren'd of thetow-cable in a similar manner. It :will be, understood that both of? the insert members l9, when forced from the lead ring I'I, fall to the ground andjare, used, unless recovered,

for positioning only one target on the end of the tow cable,

As a result of my invention,'it will be seen that the tow cable 2 iscenteredwithin the lead cable ring I 1 whenthelead cable ringreaches the inner end of the release mechanism v3'. By providing such an arrangement; it 'willbe see'n that the release-mechanism passes freely intoand through the :leadring 4 thereby preventing. contact of the tow cable 2 with the lead ring I! at the inner end of the release mechanism 3, so as to eliminate the danger of shearing the tow cable 2 at this point.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that'this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration and description and that various other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An insert for the lead cable ring of a tow target of the class described, comprising two complementary substantially U-shapedhalves with the leg portions of each of said halves being resilient and bent inwardly toward each other and being arcuate-shaped, each of said leg portions having a groove arranged therein centrally and longitudinally thereof, the bottom of each of said halves being substantially fiat and superimposed relative to each other and having a semi-cylindrical portion arranged centrally of the flat bottom surface thereof whereby a cylindrical hole is arranged through the insert member axially thereof when the two halves are assembled together with the diameter of said hole being slight- 1y larger than that of the tow cable with which of said lead cable ring, said insert member due to the resiliency of the leg portions adapted to be forced into said lead cable ring and held yieldably therein with the inner circumference of said lead cable ring disposed in the grooves of said leg portions. i

2. A lead cable ring for guiding an airplane target and the like along a tow cable and onto an elongated release member which comprises, an annular member having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of said release member, guide means resiliently held in said annular member and shaped to provide a central. opening slightly larger than said tow cable, said guide means being constructed and arranged to guide said ring along said cable and onto said. release member and means whereby said guide means may be removed from said annular member by contact with said release member.

3. A lead cable ring for guiding an airplane target and the like along a tow cable and onto an elongated release member which comprises,. an annular member having an, inside diameter larger than the outside diameterof said release member, guide means in said annular member comprising two members having spring biased arms resiliently engaging said annular member, said members being shaped to provide a central opening slightly larger than said tow cable, said guide means being constructed and arranged to guide said ring-along said cable and onto said release member and means whereby said guide means may be removed from said annular member by contact with said release member.

4. A leadcable ring for guiding an airplane target and the like along a tow cable and onto a cylindrical release member having a tapered portion at the entry end thereof which comprises, an annular member having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of said release member, guide means in said annular member comprising at least two members having spring biased arms resiliently engaging said annular member, said members shaped to provide a central opening slightly larger than said tow cable, whereby said guide means is adapted to guide said ring along said cable and onto said release member and means whereby said'guide means may be removed from said annular member by contact with the tapered end of said release member. g i ALAN E. BRICKMAN. 

